Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Grinning Killer
by Phanax Leminer
Summary: The Capital is under the assault of a mysterious phenomenon where couples have died in horrific manners. By the request of a normal and worried woman, Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th must delve into the darkest corners of the Capital in order to save his citizens from an invisible evil. With the aid of Gouto, Narumi, Tae and an old friend/rival, Raidou must stop it before it's too late.
1. A Woman's Worries

Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs the Grinning Killer

Chapter 1 : A Woman's Worries

Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective's Agency

It's early in the morning in the Capital. The early pedestrians slowly awake the remaining sleepers as the sound of footsteps, talks and grinding wooden wheels broke the fragile silence with the distant noise of cars' engine.

In the largest building in Tsukudo-cho, located in the south part of the Capital, a man wearing a white outfit opened a window to let fresh air in his bureau. He quietly watched the passers of the dawn.

Business was slow these last days for Narumi Detective Agency. A month had passed since the events involved with the King Abaddon. Back then, he was always running from left to right, exhausting the detective. As he recalled the chaos in the streets of the Capital, he remembered the fear and distress on everyone's face. It's already been a month and everyone seems to have forgot what happened.

He let out a calm sigh and lit a cigarette.

_''Wonder if I'll ever do business with this peace...''_ he wondered to himself as he inhaled the toxic fume.

As he was beginning to sink into comfort, the door of his office smashed on the wall as an angry woman dressed in a purple outfit stormed in with a daily journal in her hands.

''Narumi!'' she screamed out, without a second thought she might wake up someone.

The man slightly jumped out. She came closer and hit the paper-covereddesk with her journal showing the front page. The man took a moment to stare cluelessly at the woman. She pointed the paper with her index finger and crossed her arms, frustrated.

Narumi examined the front paper of the journal.

It was about another double murder. A man and wife were found in their bedroom. The woman was stabbed to death by her own husband and he killed himself after he committed suicide with the same blade he used to kill his wife.

Narumi wasn't surprised or shocked to read the article. He already saw enough corpses to become indifferent to this kind of subject.

''Tae? What are you getting at? It's a passionate murder, you know I have seen a lot of those and so does...'' he then got cut off by the woman.

''Narumi! It's the third one in two weeks! It can't be just a coincidence.'' She turned her back to the black-haired man who kept looking at her.

''Now, now, Tae...''

''It's Kichou Asakura!''

''… Anyways. If it was indeed something big, Raidou and I would be working on the case. However, we didn't receive any requests for this, so no investigation. Plus, we are short on money.''

''If you don't spend this much on clothes, maybe you'll still have some yens left when you grow old.'' She chuckled back.

''Tae, my spending is not something to write about in a public journal.'' He warned the woman. ''And unless we have a request I can't do anything.''

She shook her head in desperation at the man's stubbornness.

''How are you doing in the journal business, Tae?'' He questioned as he started to make coffee.

''I can't say well, but I guess average would be the right word. I'm getting a lot of news since the things that happened after the Apollyons' invasion, but they are bare-bone. Weak news loses readers and that means less money... Plus, an angry boss.'' She described.

''Not the best combination. Can't you just write something about the murders? Something extra, like an eye-witness' testimonial?'' He suggested after pouring the boiling water down the machine's filter.

''Hmmm... Not a bad idea.'' She cracked a smile as she pondered on the given suggestion. ''B-But, I'll find them by my own! I don't need your help or the Raidou's help!''

The coffee was ready, when Narumi smiled at the sudden defensive speech from the feminist.

''Yeah, sure.'' He filled two cups with the dark liquid and was about to fill a third one, but he hesitated and realized something strange.

''Hunh.'' He let out.

''What?''

''Raidou should be awake at this hour.'' He answered to the woman after he gave her a hot coffee cup. ''I'll go check on him.''

''I'll wait, I have my day off today.''

Narumi walked toward the bureau's door and opened it to see if Raidou was already on his way to the bureau.

No sign of the youngster.

He looked up at the ceiling and hastily walked to Raidou's room, knocked on the frame and called out; ''Raidou Kuzunoha the Fourteen, get up! It doesn't mean if we have no business, you can doze off!''

He waited, but no answer. He knocked again, but not on the door.

The door opened quickly and the detective by accident knocked on the head of his apprentice's cap.

There was a moment of awkwardness between the detective and his apprentice. Narumi felt suddenly clumsy and his apprentice was giving him the usual indifferent stare.

''Good morning, Narumi.'' The youngster simply responded, before he walked to the bureau with a black cat at his feet. He left his mentor behind, still weirded out by the event.

When he arrived at the bureau, the young man was greeted by a more cheerful welcome.

''Good morning, Raidou! Did you sleep well?'' Tae asked Raidou.

He only nodded before his cat, Gouto, meowed and he couldn't help but grin just a bit to the cat's remark. He directly went to the coffee and served himself a cup adding nothing into the liquid.

Narumi entered shortly after Raidou went in. He was back to his normal self.

''So Tae, what about that suggestion I gave you? Still good?'' The detective asked to the journalist in an easy voice.

''Yeah, it's a good idea... Should save my head from being cut off.'' She said, exasperated.

Raidou glared at Narumi, wishing to know more information.

''News came in that another double murder happened in the Capital. Tae thinks it's something supernatural, but I doubt it.'' He told them, almost pridefully.

Raidou looked back at Tae who had just finished her drink. Although, she could be a bit too attached to him and Narumi, her instinct was always one of her strong points. He almost wished for Narumi to share this instinct, so both would be on the field more often.

''Speak what you want, Narumi!'' She hit her cup on the wooden table, back to her angry self. ''But when Kichou Asakura becomes famous, you will envy me for my success!''

She stormed out of the bureau, closing the door, leaving the two men and the black cat alone.

''Ssshh... Woman.'' He clopped in one tray the half of his remaining coffee and looked back at Raidou who was staring at the wooden frame. ''Raidou, we don't have much work today, so let's continue the archives we left.''

He nodded in response. Raidou was a man of a few words; Narumi knew that his apprentice only talked when necessary or when the situation asked for it.

The hours passed. Both men worked on the piles of documents and paperwork Narumi had to normally classify and order by himself. However, when there was no work to do, Raidou helped with moving the boxes and organized the files.

The minutes passed in a near absolute silence, Narumi would only talk to the disciple if he needed something and the youngster would only nod or shake his head to answer his mentor and caretaker.

At lunch, both of them went out and bought smoke fishes. The meal was decent and the leftovers of the fishes were given to Gouto. Raidou always gives him the biggest portion of the remains.

As they walked back to the building, Raidou felt someone watching him not too far away. In front of the agency's building, a figure was standing still, looking around as he was looking for something.

It was a woman, mid-aged, wearing a pink and black outfit similar to a kimono. Nothing was outstanding about the woman and, compared to other women Raidou saw, she wasn't the prettiest either.

Narumi, the gentleman he was, immediately went to the figure who he recognized to be a woman.

''Ma'am, can we help you?'' He asked with a welcoming smile and a tip of his hat.

The strange woman was stunned for a brief moment and nodded quietly. She got closer to Narumi's ears and the man nodded to the woman with a serene smile.

''So you are Kizami Hokuto, correct?'' Narumi asked as he was filling the profile sheet of the new client, while Raidou was standing near the client. ''31 years old, lived in the Capital since birth and you are living with your husband, correct?''

''Yes. Do you want proof that I'm a woman, too?'' She said rudely.

''No, I don't think we need that sort of proof.'' He joked to the rude woman. ''So, Miss Hokuto, how can the Narumi Detective's Agency help you?''

Before she answered her question, she looked at Raidou who was still like a statue.

''Is he your son or something? This involves adults' business. I don't want him around me.'' She protested to the presence of the youngster.

''Miss Hokuto, Raidou is my disciple in detective's business and work. Believe me, he doesn't look like much, but he is good in this job.'' He told as he was gently tapping his lit cigarette on the glass ashtray. ''And for your first question, he isn't my son.''

She lifted up her head, not ashamed of her questions and pride went unhurt.

''My request is about a love affair. I believe my husband is cheating on me.'' And for good reason. The woman was cold as ice as she was mentioning her suspicions on her husband.

''How can you tell?'' Narumi questioned.

''Because it has been nearly three weeks he's been always late. I did my little detective's work too and asked around where he was going after work. Some neighbors told me he was going to take the train and he doesn't need to take transports to get to our house.'' She told with a serious look in her face.

''So, you are worrying that he is cheating on you... Understandable.'' Narumi said with his eyes fixed on the woman. ''Alright, we will work on your case Miss Hokuto.''

''I want answers as soon as possible, Detective Narumi. Mark my words.'' She finished before leaving the two men alone.

Narumi let himself sink into his chair, at the end of his patience as his smile turned into a frown.

''Dear God... she is worse than Tae!'' He said with his arms in the air. ''Good thing that we have finally a case to work on. Raidou, you'll work on the field and find out about Miss Hokuto's husband. The name is Oto Hokuto. He lives in Harumi-cho, well-built, black hair and a frog tattoo on his back. He's a fisherman too, so go for the nearby ports.''

He lifted up his chair and gave the paperwork with the necessary information to the disciple.

''Let's finish this one quickly, okay?'' The youngster nodded to his mentor's question.

* * *

**Special thanks to MaikuFreakingKamiyama and Bonnia for beta-reading.  
**


	2. Fears Confirmed

Chapter 2: Fears Confirmed

Harumi-cho.

Raidou walked around the quiet neighborhood near the ports of Harumi-cho, known for its stable financial flow, the ports and the church where he had visited multiple times in the past for many cases.

With his faithful Gouto at his side, Raidou examined the area of Miss Hokuto's house. Nothing suspicious or questionable could be detected. They stopped and Raidou looked at the cat.

Although the cat meowed a lot, it is because to the feline can talk. Only the Devil Summoners, demons and few people with a high spiritual level can hear the cat's speeches. Normal people can't hear the cat like Raidou can.

''I don't know if that woman sent us on the wrong track or she was just bluffing.'' Gouto spoke truthfully. The cat would only talk when Raidou needed his help or when he had to make a comment on something.

''However, she sounded like she was speaking the truth. Anyway, we need to know where her husband goes after work.'' Raidou nodded at the cat's reminder and started walking towards the nearest port.

They arrived after thirty minutes of walking; it confirmed the sayings of Kizami when she said her husband was working near their house. The smell of fish and other underwater smells came out of the surface with the working fishermen. Raidou easily identified the husband among the ten men working together and pulling the catches of the day. Naked to the belt, it was easy to find a frog tattoo on the man.

Patiently Raidou and Gouto waited for the man to finish his shift. After he gave his goodbyes to his co-workers, the identified Oto walked away and headed to the train station.

''Let's not lose him.'' Gouto instructed to the apprentice detective.

The disciple and cat followed the fisherman to the station, took the same train and stopped at Fukugawa-cho. Tailing the man was rather easy and it seemed the man didn't even notice Raidou's presence. Twenty minutes passed and they arrived at a house where a woman awaited the man at the door. From afar, Raidou could make out their exchange.

''Feeee, Oto you smell like fish! I know just what you need... Come with me fishy, fishy.'' She teased him and caught him by the pants' belt to pull him into the house.

Aside of the fact the woman was drunk, she didn't seemed menacing or dangerous.

When the man went inside the residence, Raidou and Gouto decided the suspicions Kizami were true.

''Looks like we have to deliver the bad news to Kizami,'' Gouto concluded.

The novice apprentice didn't even have to say or signal his approval. Both individuals returned to the agency on foot.

* * *

Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective Agency

''I knew it.''

The following day, Kizami arrived in the early hours. It was Narumi who resumed the investigation of Raidou and a bit of his own. However, to protect Oto's mistress they kept the name and address out of the resume. Plus, Kizami didn't wish to know who was sleeping with her husband.

''I told you to do it fast and you did, I'm impressed Narumi.'' She complimented. ''I'll talk with him in due time. For your payment...''

She opened her purse and put a large amount of paper yen on the desk, near double the normal price of the agency's service. Narumi was about to protest, but he was interrupted by the client.

''Take it, I hear you are having financial problems from a friend of mine and it's a little payback to my husband.''

''Wait a moment! You stole your husband's money?'' Narumi had to ask with a serious look on his face.

''Is that a problem? I can always take it back, but I know you won't even let me touch it.''

There was a moment of silence between Narumi and Kazami. The woman was completely intolerable. She gave a look to Raidou, before getting up.

''On this, Narumi and...'' She took a moment of deadly silence when looking at Raidou. ''Raidou. I wish you good luck on the rest of your career.''

It was the last time Raidou and Narumi saw the woman for the rest of the day. Narumi was clearly disturbed. Invisible to anyone else except Raidou, he saw the distress in Narumi's eyes. Accepting stolen money was something he would never accept under normal circumstances. However, the situation was different from 'normal'. Finally, he spoke.

''Raidou, take the money and put it in the safe.''

The youngster followed his instructions. He rotated the lock, unlocked the safe and began to put the money in it.

''I have to tell you, Raidou. This Kizami is something, she acts like she's a man or an aristocrat, but did you see her clothes and hair? I mean, I'm...''

Narumi began to empty his bag and rant on about the most meaningless details on the woman's appearance. It was his way to pass away the stress.

As Narumi continued to rant and rant, Raidou kept putting the stolen money in the black safe. He didn't add to Narumi's nagging; his mind was already occupied on something else.

* * *

Harumi-cho

Glass shattered in a beautiful apartment in Harumi-cho. Fueled by hatred and anger, Kizami broke her husband's gifts one after the other as the thoughts of her husband being in the arms of another woman corrupted her mind.

''Oto... you son of a bitch!'' She threw a vase at the wall, breaking it into hundreds of pieces.

She stopped in her revolting rage and began to cry. Her hair was a mess; she removed the knot holding the hair together, giving her a wild look. She lost her strong composure and serenity in a single second. As she continued to lament, she heard a knock on the door.

It couldn't have been her husband, he had the keys. She didn't have time to clean up the chaos she created and headed to her door. Maybe a friend, she thought. As she opened the door, she wiped away her tears.

''Miss Kizami?''

She looked surprised and recognized the man. Like an angel descending from the sky, the figure was illuminated by the sun's rays passing through the window of the apartment's main stairs. A few tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes and she fell to her knees before being caught by the young man.

''Mister...'' She began to cry. ''Mister Raidou, help me.''

The young man smiled at the woman he was holding in his firm arms and calmly went inside with the broken woman.

* * *

**Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.**


	3. Injured Pride

Chapter 3 : Injured Pride

Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective Agency

A week had passed since the investigation on Kizami's husband, and both Raidou and Narumi were back on the dull work of the archives. Thanks to the money from their latest work, the agency would be able to survive for the following months.

''Raidou, pass me the 34D box.'' asked Narumi with a pair of small glasses on and a pen hanging out of his mouth.

The youngster took the short ladder and looked around the written boxes. It was a mess, no wonder Narumi couldn't get all of the files ordered in time. As he searched for the box, his thoughts drifted away for a moment and his eyes showed only a brief moment of doubt. He came back to reality and grabbed the numbered crate when he remembered the numbers.

He put the box on a small, freed portion of the desk. He was about to come back to the table where Narumi was doing his part of the job, when he heard Narumi sighing in frustration.

''Raidou, I said the 34D box, not the 34B.'' Narumi pointed out to the youngster seeing he didn't give him the right item.

Raidou looked baffled for a short second and saw his error. He was going back to take the right box, but Narumi stopped him in his tracks.

''Raidou, what's wrong?'' he asked the young man, lighting a cigarette and sticking it in his mouth.

''Nothing.'' Raidou answered back in a monotone voice.

''Don't avoid the subject, Raidou. Something is wrong and I can see that.'' The youngster stopped in his work and faced the smoking man. ''You aren't concentrated on the work and you are making mistakes one after another. Let's not forget that I had to wake you up five times in a row this week.''

He smashed his cigarette down in the nearly filled glass ashtray and starred intensely at his apprentice.

''So, I'm going to ask you again, what's wrong Raidou?'' He demanded.

The youngster was staring at both his mentor and the dozing cat. Both waited for an answer from the young man, but his answer wasn't even in the subject of the conversation.

''Do you want me to take out the 34E, too?'' He was back on the job given at the beginning.

He was clearly avoiding the subject and Narumi knew he couldn't get further than that with the youngster. He would always change the subject about himself to something about the present, anything as long it didn't concern him.

Narumi had known Raidou for almost half a year and he didn't even know his favorite color or food. The youngster was a mystery in itself.

When Narumi took a breath of desperation, all individuals heard lots of footsteps coming toward them. The old detective had no idea who it was until the door opened, smashed the wall and it wasn't Tae.

It was a man in his thirties and Raidou immediately recognized him.

It was Oto Hokuto, Kizami's husband and an angry man. Before Narumi had the chance to open his mouth, the mad husband almost ran toward Raidou, grabbed him by his collar with one hand and lifted him a foot above the ground. The youngster held the man's arm as a self-defense reflex, but quickly found out he couldn't do anything as the man had already the advantage and was about twice Raidou's weight.

''Where is Kizami, you little piece of sh...'' He raised his fist in the air, ready to strike the defenseless youngster, but a clicking noise halted the man in his aggressive behavior.

Narumi was holding Raidou's pistol. He always kept it in his desk in case of an emergency and gave it back to Raidou during investigations. The black cat was hissing furiously at the man and could jump at anytime on the assaulter's face. One would be quite surprised by Gouto's jumping skills.

''Let go of my apprentice, slowly or I swear I will shoot.'' Narumi threatened the man with his apprentice's pistol.

Narumi wasn't kidding around. Raidou had only seen a few times where Narumi was truly mad and the follow-ups were usually bad for the unfortunate people. The hulking man followed Narumi's commands and let go of Raidou. The youngster walked away from the raging man, avoiding eye contact.

''Now, on your knees and hands in the air. Raidou, go get the handcuffs.'' Narumi directed to Raidou.

Everything went smoothly when Raidou arrived with the handcuffs. Narumi exchanged the pistol with the metallic devices with his apprentice and handcuffed the man as Raidou continued to point it at his attacker. Gouto stopped hissing when the the man's hands were restrained. Raidou would have to give credit to Narumi's military training for sparing him a punch in the face.

Narumi put the cuffed man in a chair and gave a sign to Raidou to lower his weapon.

''I suppose you know him, Raidou?'' asked Narumi while he was getting a cigarette.

''Oto Hokuto. Fisherman, living in Harumi-cho and husband of Kizami Hokuto.'' Raidou spoke up, frustrating the angry man even more.

''So, you do know Kizami!'' He clenched his teeth together.

''Only through client and business relationship, Mister Oto.'' Raidou explained.

''Bah! Client, my ass! You came to our apartment a week ago, you rat!'' The angry man yelled.

Narumi looked at Raidou, who only shook his head in disagreement. It wasn't like Raidou to go to a client's property and visit them. Let alone never say it to Narumi.

''There must a mistake, Mister Oto. Raidou didn't leave the agency to see your wife. He's under my supervision.'' Narumi told the angry fisherman calmly. ''And who told you it was him? Who visited your wife?''

''The neighbors. They saw this kid enter our apartment and speak to my wife. When I got home, she was missing.'' His anger began to turn into sadness. ''I asked the neighbors if they knew him and one of them said 'Yeah, it's the apprentice of Shouhei Narumi in Tsukudo-cho'.''

''Well, for the last time, Mister Oto. Raidou didn't visit your wife. In fact, he wasn't out of my supervision since two weeks ago. If he was out for a night, I would have known.'' pointed out Narumi. ''Now, when you burst into the agency, you asked my apprentice; 'where was your wife'. What is going on?''

The angry man looked back at the youngster and then shifted his eyes toward the cat who meowed menacingly.

''Kizami has been missing for a week now and someone's been trying to kill me since.'' He finally told the two men.

''Someone is trying to kill you?'' Narumi asked.

''Yeah! For a week, I had to avoid near death accidents. A statue of the nearby church nearly crushed me, I was attacked by a raging dog, a train nearly rammed into me and when I was fishing for my work, I got myself tangled in the nets and almost drowned!''

''Sounds like a lot of unfortunate accidents, Mister Oto.'' Narumi tried to point out.

''No, they were not! It doesn't have to do with the unlucky waves that happened two months ago! Every time I was in an accident, I saw a strange silhouette and it looked like that kid! You have to believe me! Keep me here and I swear I'll pay you triple your service, if you find the killer!'' he pleaded to Narumi.

''Keep you here? You can cross that off the list, Mister Oto. We will investigate those strange accidents, but you'll not stay here. We will only call you at your home if we find out anything.'' Narumi put out his limits to the worried husband.

''Alright, alright! Just find this other guy and my wife, I beg of you. I... I love her, you know.'' He told them, in a pitiful voice.

Raidou simply headed to the armoire to change into his investigation outfit and collect his needed tools in case of an emergency in a dreadful silence. Quickly, he walked out of the agency with a clenched fist under his cape. Whoever or whatever was disguising as Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th must be stopped before all of this gets out of hand.

* * *

**Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.**


	4. Supernatural Hitman

Chapter 4: Supernatural Hitman

Tsukudo-cho

Raidou walked on the same street as any normal human being with Gouto at his side, oblivious to their voices; he was more interested in their thoughts. As a Devil Summoner, he had the power to call upon the power of the demons he contracted with. Each demon had personal skills and abilities allowed to help him in his investigations and missions.

Raidou kept out a small green demon, Mokoi, to find Kizami's location through the power of mind reading. If she was still in the Capital, he would be able to hear her thoughts in the perimeter given by Mokoi.

''So many thoughts, Summoner. What are we looking for?'' The small demon was getting tired of all of his work; transferring what the demon found to the Devil Summoner was no easy task, but it quickly paid off. When Mokoi finished his sentence, one of the transferred thoughts revealed the woman's presence nearby.

The thoughts of Kizami were clear and filled with vengeful thoughts. It was easy to track down the woman to a cafe nearby. He called back Mokoi and gave it a rewarding rest.

When Raidou entered the cafe, the air was stagnant with cigarette smoke and the voices of men and women drinking their hot drinks without a single care in the world.

''Find Kizami, Raidou. I'll wait outside.'' The cat spoke up, knowing no one else would hear the cat's words except the youngster.

The search didn't last long; Kizami was sitting with two other women at a table against the opposite wall of the entrance. She wore a innocent smile and seemed unaware that her husband was looking for her. The two other women were meaningless to the young detective, probably just friends.

''Miss Kizami.'' Raidou called out to the woman when he was close enough to their table.

Kizami recognized him and she asked her giggling friends to wait. She walked out of the cafe and gave a sign to Raidou to follow her with a teasing smile.

Outside, they walked away from the cafe and she began the conversation.

''It's been a week, Raidou. How is my husband doing?'' She asked while the urban noises covered up most of their conversation to the nearest walkers.

''Terrified. He believes you were kidnapped and that someone wants him dead. Do you have any involvement with all of this?'' He questioned the woman while the cat was walking closer to the youngster.

Her attitude changed at the end of his answer. What he just said must had shocked her.

''Is it a code or something, Raidou?'' She clumsily asked with a broken smile. ''Because if it is, I want you to stop and tell me how is my husband.''

He hit something, Gouto felt it too. The woman was no doubt uneasy.

''Miss Kizami, this isn't a code. Oto is alive and he's looking for you. He sent me to look for you.'' He explained boldly.

''What?!'' She exclaimed and pointed at him menacingly, piquing the curiosity of some passers. ''You didn't have the guts to do it or something? I want you to fulfill your part of the bargain, Raidou Kuzunoha.''

She was pissed off and Raidou was confused. Part of the bargain? What did it all mean? Kizami sighed in exhaustion and continued.

''You told me that you would do it, but I guess a full-grown seventeen year old boy can't pull the trigger so easily, can he?''

This struck Raidou as if he was hit by lightning. Was she getting at, he was supposed to kill Oto at one point? Impossible, he hadn't talked to Kizami since a week ago and hadn't seen her since. How in the world could she had talked to him?

''She might be talking about a demon who disguised as you Raidou.'' Gouto pointed out. ''Or someone who is very good at copying another.''

Finally, she shrugged at Raidou's lack of reaction.

''I'll give you the time you need to do it. Better keep your promise, Raidou Kuzunoha.'' She began to slowly walk toward him with a glamorous smile.

Before she had the time to add or do more, Raidou immediately took off, feeling suddenly uneasy. He walked away at a fast pace and stopped after the third block he passed. The young man adjusted his black hat before it flew off if he had to run again. Gouto was making a strange smirk at the youngster, as if he had just ran away from an unwanted, crazy admirer.

''I have to say, that woman sure has her ways, even in public.'' Gouto commented while Raidou was digesting what had almost happened. ''Whoever is copying you must be stopped before the Raidou's name is soiled. Raidou, let's go back to the agency and sort all of this mess out.''

He didn't even have the time to answer before he was hit with a wave of energy. Although he wasn't blown away from the energy, it was strong enough to make the youngster chilled. The cat felt it too and a few birds on the trees suddenly flew away.

''Raidou.'' The black cat dryly said, before both of them ran toward the wave's source.

They backtracked their own steps. As they got close to the source, they felt a demonic energy growing in the air. To anyone's else's eyes, everything was normal, but Raidou saw the change and passed through an invisible wall transporting him and Gouto into a twisted, reddish version of the Capital.

This place, the opposite image of Capital, is simply named the Dark Realm. In this other world, demons roam and live in it. Nobody knew why demons existed or who created them, but a few believe they originated from human's emotions and beliefs, created by the collective ideas of a being and that being turned into a demon. An overall good theory, given the fact the Dark Realm of the Capital is ruled by demons, but their goal is similar to the humans in Capital. They all want to live by their own rules and become dangerous when a human intrudes in their world.

Raidou was on the lookout for the origin of the Dark Realm's opening. It was uncommon for the demonic world to become so powerful, unless something was trying to get out that was by all means something to keep in the other dimension.

Echoes of a woman's laughter dominated this sector of the Dark Realm. Raidou ran toward the laughs with Gouto at his side, hoping they weren't too late to defeat the freed demon.

The sounds of fighting haunted the Dark Realm and Raidou took not long to find the source of all the chaos.

In the same street where he had talked to Kizami, he found not only the joyful wife, but the husband too. He was injured and had bruises everywhere on his body. The man was cowering in front of his wife. He must have followed Raidou without him noticing.

Between the couple, a red demon dog chained to Kizami's hand was barking and yelling at the cheating man.

''LIAR! PERVERT! KILL! KILL FOR MASTER!'' The demonic canine barked at the scared man as it tried to pull as hard it could to bite the man's head off.

In his cowering position, Oto saw Raidou and Gouto advancing rapidly to the injured man. In a single second, the youngster was in front of Oto, sword ready in his hand and his poncho moved behind him to form a cape, revealing his Devil Summoner equipment to the woman.

''Oh, Raidou,'' said the master of the red demon. ''I see you like to play it rough.''

It was Kizami, but something was off. First, the demon she was holding up by a chain was a Garm, a lesser demon who could sing the incoming of the apocalypse by its howls and impossible to tame by Summoners and even Devil Summoners. The demon should have broken her arm by his strength alone with the numerous times he jumped and pulled the chain to its limits. Third, she was holding a golden chalice filled with a red boiling liquid; the object had an powerful, eerie aura around it. Fourth, she was the source of the Dark Realm's fissure.

''Impossible, could she be the source of the Dark Realm's instability?'' Gouto said, surprised and short-breathed by the reveal of Kizami's involvement.

''My oh my, Raidou, I definitely love you. You know how to please a woman. First, you gave me this and now I can do... that.'' She had only lifted the golden chalice to her lips, when Raidou shot the chalice away from her hand with his pistol. ''I didn't see that coming.''

She clapped her hands together and a group of magnificent, blonde women with bat wings were summoned in the air above Kizami. They moaned at the sight of the two men and tried to attract them with sexual gestures.

''I'll leave you with my friends. See you later, Raidou Kuzunoha.'' She then disappeared with the Garm.

''Raidou, protect Oto at all cost, we can't let these succubi go away with him.''

On the words of his advisor, Raidou took out two tubes out of his outfit and called upon the names of two demons.

''I summon you, Alraune and Nue!''

In a burst of green light, a beautiful woman tangled in thorny vines and a strange yellow beast with a dark head and a snake tail appeared in front of the Devil Summoner.

''A Devil Summoner? That's going to be fun.'' chuckled one of the succubi. ''Go! And drain them all of their delicious life!''

In a matter of seconds, the succubi dived towards the summoner and his demons.

''Alraune, trap them!'' ordered the summoner to the rose spirit.

''As you wish, darling!'' The flower demon focused and vines covered with thorns burst out of the ground and grabbed several of the diving succubi. ''Darling, I can't catch them all!''

''Keep them, Alraune. Nue, frighten the rest!''

The clueless demon suddenly awoke from his naive coma and let out a terrifying roar. The assaulting demons stopped in their dive, too scared to continue further.

''Nue, give me strength now.'' He ordered to the weird-looking demon as he prepared his pistol.

The two small round eyes of Nue opened and closed once before the demon let out a menacing roar and Raidou shot a bullet toward the commanding succubus. The bullet was filled with electric energy given by Nue and bolts came out of the bullet, electrocuting all the succubi, before passing through the leader in the forehead.

All the demons fell on the ground electrocuted as Raidou took a breath before calling his demon back. He didn't feel any more demons around him. As he was looking around, he saw the golden chalice he shot out of Kizami's hand. He walked calmly over to the brilliant artifact and grabbed it. At a glance, the chalice had lost its aura and powers. The boiling liquid was spilled on the cursed ground, absent of any supernatural powers. For a strange reason, the gunshot didn't even scratch the demonic artifact. However he came back to reality, after being yelled at from behind.

''What the hell was that all about?! Wh-What were these things? Oh god... Oh my god...'' Oto was turning insane. It's true that regular humans who stay too long in the Dark Realm go mad, but Oto had only stayed in for a couple of minutes and he was already changing. It showed the pitiful mental power of the poor man. Raidou didn't have any choice but to take the injured man out of the Dark Realm before his madness took a hold of him. He held on the chalice and helped out Oto getting out of the Dark Realm.

* * *

**Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.**


	5. Cursed

Chapter 5 : Cursed

Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective's Agency

Oto was back at his house; the traumatic event with the succubi had erased all of his memories about his encounter with Kizami and the assault of the succubi due to the Dark Realm's influence, but not of the payment he promised to Narumi. The detective was trying to figure out the report of Raidou's investigation and the chalice he found.

''One thing's for certain, that thing must be worth a lot of yens.'' described Narumi with a greedy grin. ''That thing isn't cursed, right?''

Raidou shook his head. The chalice seemed to have lost its magical properties when it was knocked out of Kizami's hand. Narumi inspected the object with great care.

''I'm not a jeweler or anything, but those gems shine a lot.'' He continued to comment on the jeweled golden chalice. ''Speaking of this chalice, you're saying Kizami had it in her hands when you found her, right?''

The apprentice nodded and the master pondered.

''She was holding a demon by a chain, a chalice and summoned several other demons... Nope, that's not something unusual. I'm already used to giant locusts and red soulless soldiers, and this seems to be a typical possession case.'' resumed Narumi.

''If Narumi had half a brain, he would have figured out by now what we are really facing against.'' cried Gouto in desperation.

''Although... Kaya's possession was very different than this.'' He recalled. ''Seems to be getting too big, too suddenly. You should check on what sort of spirit or demon we have to face, Raidou. I'll go in the archives to see if I can find something similar to what's going on.''

The white-dressed detective took the chalice and headed to the safe.

''Just to be sure nobody will take our only lead of Kizami.'' He finished after he locked the safe.

Tsukudo-cho, Raidou's room

A hour passed and Raidou was still looking through the old scrolls and scriptures of the Kuzunoha's compendium in the comfort of his bed. All the data of all existing and reported demons were in this thick book. From gods to the weakest of ghosts, any information on the demons and supernatural beings were written down in there for centuries.

He was halfway through the book, losing hope of finding the culprit of Kizami's possession.

''The possession must have happened not too long ago, although its surprising how powerful she got in a single week.'' Gouto said to Raidou. ''It might be a powerful demon.''

Raidou kept reading through the papers. In the middle, he found a strange photo. It was the drawn picture of a woman in a purple and red dress, riding a seven-headed beast and holding a particular chalice. A golden chalice with jewels around the cup.

''Gouto, I found the demon.''

At those words alone, Gouto jumped on the youngster's shoulder and saw the drawing. He frowned at the picture.

''It's the Mother Harlot.'' He told him. ''Also named the Whore of Babylon. There isn't a lot known about her, except she can subdue any animals with her presence alone and that she is an incarnation of the feminine evil."

''It would explain Kizami's power to control Garm and the chalice she was holding.'' Raidou added.

''True, however I wonder how she got ahold of the Mother Harlot's chalice. That artifact was secretly hidden somewhere in Rome.''

''Or maybe, someone gave it to her.''

''What are you getting at, Raidou?'' asked Gouto, looking skeptical.

''The one mimicking Raidou Kuzunoha must have given the chalice to Kizami and then she began to have the powers of the Mother Harlot. Which means...''

''Kizami is becoming an incarnation of impurity and chaos. She isn't possessed, she transforms into the Mother Harlot.''

Raidou closed the thick book and placed it in its rightful place, before going to announce to Narumi the bad news.

When coming out of his room, he heard a loud noise coming from the bureau. He still had his gun on him and prepared himself for the worst.

He silently walked to the door and checked through the door's crack. Through it, he could see Narumi sitting in his desk and... Tae with her hands on the desk. He put his weapon away and came in as if nothing had happened.

''Good afternoon, Tae.'' He said to the angry woman.

In a flash, she turned from mad to fearful. She was holding the daily and her notebook, maybe going to give them to Narumi to help them with the investigation.

''Raidou, I'm glad you're here. I discovered something disturbing about the double murders.'' She told him with a small fragile voice.

''Hey! Why are you always gentle when Raidou is around!'' growled an angry Narumi, after he let out a short hissing sound at the end of his sentence.

She ignored his question and turned towards Raidou and Gouto.

''I asked around to the eye-witnesses of the murders, you know, the basic questions and all. However, they all gave the same similar information.'' She said to the youngster.

''And that is?'' Narumi questioned impatiently.

''I'm getting there!'' She took her breath back before continuing. ''All the wives had, let's say, a secret relationship with a male student with a black outfit and a black cap.''

Something twisted in Raidou's stomach; it was painful and sudden, but his face kept indifferent to the pain he felt. It was if Tae had stabbed him with a knife and turned it in his skin.

''Raidou, do you know anything of this?'' She plunged the knife deeper into the wound and her eyes didn't move from his.

He only shook his head, but he suddenly ducked his head, avoiding Tae's gaze. She saw the head movement and knew something was wrong.

''Raidou, I don't know what is going on with your cases, but if you know anything you have to tell...''

''I don't know anything.''

Narumi and Tae almost jumped out of surprise. Raidou just cut her off. The woman was stunned by this and so was the caretaker. Raidou was now looking at Gouto who curiously meowed at the young Devil Summoner.

Narumi stood up from his chair and grabbed Tae's shoulder.

''Tae, you should go. Thanks for the info.'' He said, and accompanied her to the exit.

On the way out, she asked if she said something wrong and Narumi answered with a 'no' and gave a half-assed excuse for Raidou's attitude. Gouto didn't ask or question anything. The cat might have been a small animal, but it felt the emotions of the youngster and what he felt wasn't good at all.

A minute later, Narumi was back in the bureau and Raidou was still in the same spot. The detective got closer to the youngster and folded his arms in an agitated manner.

''It's not like you to interrupt Tae.'' He pointed out. ''It's the first time I've seen you do it and it's really out of character. Raidou, what is going on? Are you involved with the murders?''

There was a moment of silence between the duo, before Raidou found the strength to lift his head to meet Narumi's eyes. He answered with a shake of his head. Narumi took a deep breath through his nose and forcefully sighed.

''I found the demon who took possession of Kizami.'' And here was the classic avoiding the subject from Raidou. ''But, it's larger than we thought.''

''Why?''

''Kizami isn't going through a possession, she becomes a demon named Mother Harlot.''

Narumi's eyes widened.

''Mother Harlot? I don't like the sound of that.''

''She's a demon incarnated into the feminine side of evil. She can tame all beasts.'' resumed Raidou.

''That's bad news. On my end of the rope, I managed to find out something about each victim. Thanks to Tae's research and of mine, the media changed the truth about the double murders. In all the victimized couples, there was a partner who was missing. It could mean, that someone is turning one of the partners into demons.''

Narumi collapsed into the nearest sofa; his face turned white when he understood what he just realized.

''You'll have to stop whoever is doing this, Raidou. Someone is going to find out and if that happens, this is gonna be worse than the locusts and giant robot. From now on, this is demon business.''

Raidou headed to the safe as Narumi was digesting the plan of harmful truth of Kizami's fate. He took out the chalice and closed the safe.

''Good luck, Raidou.'' He managed to say before Raidou and Gouto left the man alone.

* * *

**Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.**


	6. Achieved

Chapter 6: Achieved

"_For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: / To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman."_ Bible

Dark Realm, Harumi-cho

The Dark Realm was quiet. The weak demons in Harumi-cho were in a passive state where they would only watch Raidou passing by their hidden spots and remained stealthy.

The Devil Summoner had searched the Dark Realm in all of its obscure corners, but there was no sign of Kizami or what was left of her. A common summoner would know that a possessed body trapped in the demonic world would have more control over its host and the rule applied to the transformation as well.

The scared demons helped Raidou and Gouto the best they could in hopes to get rid of the maleficent woman; information, rumors, aura detection. Everything they could do failed in vain to find the transforming Kizami.

''She has to be somewhere, possessed humans don't vanish into thin air in the Dark Realm.'' said Gouto to the Devil Summoner. ''We'll look everywhere she might be hiding. The Red Light Street, Harumi-cho and even Tsukudo-cho.''

They were running short on ideas and time. The time lapse between the Dark Realm and the Real World was similar for a human, but for a demon time passed three times faster in the Dark Realm. If Kizami had reached the halfway point of her transformation they would only have a hour or so to exorcise the woman and get her out of the Dark Realm.

They searched back in the Red Light District. Unlike its always busy Real World's counterpart, the Dark Red Light District was empty which was odd because when they had come a few minutes ago, the demons were everywhere. They walked around the silent streets of the Red Light District, keeping their senses on alert. In the middle of the dirt path, Raidou and Gouto stopped.

Something growled in the buildings' shadows.

''Finally, some action.'' Gouto teased with a small smile.

The Devil Summoner unsheathed his katana and waited for the demons to appear.

The sound of slow footsteps was amplified by the unbearable passing seconds. The glowing eyes of the demons gleamed from the darkness they hid in. By the sound alone, Raidou could count ten demons surrounding him from the small alleys, all from different species and origins. It wasn't only one type of demon; it was a fusion of different pacts.

''Giiiii...veeee...'' The demons moaned with difficulty in unison to make out the single word. ''Shhiinn...yyy...''

They were talking about the chalice hidden under Raidou's cape. The beasts were under the command of Kizami or the Mother Harlot, neither the Devil Summoner or the cat could tell at this point.

''Where is Kizami Hokuto?'' The Devil Summoner asked indifferently to the hiding beasts.

He was answered by a howl and they all charged at once. The animals weren't the smartest and once out of the shadows, Raidou found out the weak opponents set on him.

Zombie Dogs.

Mostly big dogs and hunting dogs, which was the reason why there were different growls and voices.

The undead animals were easy to dispose of. A single strike with his katana and Raidou ended the afterlife of each undead beasts. They were quick, but lacked in coordination. At one moment of the brief battle, two animals tried to jump on Raidou to slow him down. He simply ducked and the two undeads knocked themselves out.

The fight was over as soon as it started. For information, Raidou left one of the zombie dogs alive, but handicapped it with one of its back legs cut off.

Raidou pointed at the zombie with the end of his pistol and stared at the demon puppy's eyes.

''I'll say it once; guide me to Kizami Hokuto.''

The demon was weak-willed- it obeyed Raidou's order and guided the Devil Summoner to the possessed woman.

The undead made Raidou and Gouto walk for a long time in the Red Light District. Raidou was going to execute the abomination, but at the moment he was going to shoot, the trio passed through an invisible barrier. Inside the walls, the air was heavy and difficult to breathe in. It was the usual feeling a Devil Summoner had when a powerful demon was nearby.

''It's probably too late now. Raidou, we have to kill Kizami.'' Gouto said to the youngster. ''Let's find her, before she truly becomes a demon.''

It was to be expected. It was a shame Raidou had to kill a possessed human, but fate decided otherwise for the woman.

Before exploring further into the protected area, Raidou coldly killed off with a single gunshot the zombie dog and followed the energy waves coming out of Kizami's body.

They turned on a corner of an alley and the world changed. All over the stoned walls and path was written in red kanji: **'FLYING AWAY'**. The area had turned into Kizami's human subconscious. All of her memories and mental worlds were fragmented into the Dark Realm, transforming the area into her paradise. The red sky and dark version of the Capital was still there, but the words written on the walls were a sign of Kizami's influence.

''The Mother Harlot within Kizami has turned this area into a nightmare world. We have to kill it, before this becomes uncontainable.'' At those words, Raidou ran through the alleys and soon was found subject to a strange sight.

A large area was freed from houses, which were floating in the air. In the shadows of the flying houses, clear blue and pink, genderless shadows were displaying still-life scenes. The closest showed a blue shadow embarrassing the pink shadow, another displayed the pink and blue figures laughing and another showed the pink figure hitting the blue figure.

Gouto gave an uncertain look to the Devil Summoner, who only stared back indifferently at the cat.

The Devil Summoner saw the exit on the other side of the area behind all the similar shadows. He had taken a few steps towards the exit, when something caught his ankle.

It was the blue hand from a shadow he stepped on. Without thinking, Raidou cut the hand off from the grabber and it resulted in all the other shades glaring at the Devil Summoner and stretching out of the ground to manifest in physical form, distorted as they were extended, paper-thin forms of themselves.

''Raidou, run!''

The cat didn't have to yell to point out the obvious, but it was strong enough to make the Devil Summoner run like hell. The shadows extended themselves, trying to catch Raidou with their thin and icy hands. The Devil Summoner ran as fast as he could with Gouto who followed him very closely.

As he ran away, the shadows laughed at the young man who ignored their taunts. He was focusing on his escape and he wasn't going to stop.

With Gouto at his side, he passed through the alley and the shadows came back to their previous occupations as if nothing happened. Seeing he wasn't in any more danger, he took a short moment to breathe in the dense air.

''A feeble trick, we have to be careful in the future.'' Gouto schooled Raidou, which he only answered with a nod.

They got through another alley, the red kanji still written on the walls, but the walls were not the same. They were made out of human skin. Just like before, the skin walls were covered in kanji. No longer written in ink, they were made by the work of a tattooist and a horrible one. The letters were marked with the mixture of both the skin's blood and the tattoo's ink.

The duo remained quiet, although Gouto seemed alarmed by the massive change of scenery. For the Devil Summoner, he had his attention at the corridor's end. They willingly adventured into the disturbing corridor. Raidou didn't take attention to the disturbing messages decorating the wall or bothered to read them. The engraved sentences varied from one to another. The first one was **'TO FLY AWAY'** and the next followed with **'WITH MY KING'**. Another one, not too far away to Raidou's right began by **'FOR ANOTHER TOUCH'** and ended to **'I'LL KILL'**.

If those kanji were fully Kizami's thoughts, they were showing how much the woman was gloomy, but nothing could tell if they were previously held beliefs or new ones.

In the middle of the corridor, there was a strange sound that could barely be heard by human ears. That was why when Gouto's ears twitched, the youngster knew he heard something. The cat stopped and looked behind him; his human partner did the same. The sound grew as the seconds went by and it clarified that the sound was the one of female moans and groans. The sound began to intensify, evolving from simple and quiet noises to loud gasps and short cries of satisfaction.

The Devil Summoner readied his katana, waiting for the demon to reveal itself.

The cries continued to get more powerful and there were muffled words that the female voice tried to pronounce, but were quickly cut off by a gasp of satisfaction. The sound was coming from directly behind them, Raidou and Gouto were sure of that. The woman's cries were beginning to reach the climax while a single drop of sweat rolled down from the student's forehead.

They stopped when it reached its peak. Gouto was going to make a comment, when the roars of a ram disturbed the silence and an entity pierced through the skin charging at the Devil Summoner and black cat.

The youngster had only to roll backwards to evade the attack and the cat jumped onward separating the duo. When the Devil Summoner got back to his feet, he had a short moment to see the mad demon.

The height and goat head indicated a Fornor. This kind of demon was usually seen in European regions, so this one was either lost or someone called it here. The Mother Harlot must have called it and did something to the demon to be drooling so much. Its eyes were illuminated in a yellow light and his large furred body was covered in an almost transparent ooze. Come to think of it, the ooze was dripping from the hole the goat-like monster made and Raidou had barely rolled in it when he evaded the raging demon. It didn't smell like anything he smelt before, but didn't have any demonic essence into it making it inoffensive to the human.

A distorted bleat alarmed the youngster of the Fornor's menace and he managed to push aside the giant punch from the equally large beast. The Devil Summoner saw a foolish opening in the Fornor's attack, exposing the demon's neck to the Devil Summoner's sword. With a precise slash, he cut open the goat's throat and the massive beast bleated in pain as it tried to stop the bleeding.

It was futile- the cut was deep and the demon died shortly after a few seconds of struggle. The demon fell on its stomach, after Raidou moved to the side to avoid being crushed by the weight.

It didn't take long for Gouto to completely disregard the corpse and used it like a bridge to jump onto the youngster's shoulder and rest there. The feline had more luck than the apprentice, he didn't have a single drop of the ooze on his fur and seemed to avoid it like the plague. It was clear he didn't want to talk for now and the duo continued through the skin corridor.

The student and his cat came out of the uncomfortable tunnel to exit into a stranger view of Kizami's world. No longer did stone and bricks make the paths to Kizami, but now the world itself was a plane of bone, house parts, skin and flesh. In the middle of it all, the only building not made of out of building material was standing out like a sour thumb in this disturbing vision of Kizami's mind. Not to mention the demons roaming the area, as there were a lot. All of them were beasts and raging animals killing each other to feed upon the flesh of their enemies. In the endless war, house parts were coming out of the organic floor and shadows of an indescribable blue and pink figures were watching the scene with white smiles on their familiar faces.

''Raidou. I hope you have an idea of how to pass through this.'' The cat asked in hopes the Devil Summoner knew what he was going to do.

The devouring beasts not too far away from them sniffed and all rose their head to their next meal with shining eyes. Gouto would have pushed Raidou to act, but he didn't have the time to when the youngster summoned his mount. Called by the will of its master, a large, yellow canine appeared. The two heads of the demon looked at the Devil Summoner and exclaimed, ''WHERE ARE MY BABES?!''

At the loud declaration, the alarmed demons ran towards the Devil Summoner. The youngster mounted the yellow beast and the monster charged toward the wooden building in the flesh wasteland which the demon and his master could feel an enormous energy coming out of. The chase began and Raidou was holding tightly onto the demon's green mane, while Gouto had to have his claws in the youngster's poncho to even be able to stay with him.

The yellow dog named Orthus ran as fast as it could. It was one of Raidou's fastest on land and his 'mount' when it came to quick runs like this. While Raidou's attention was on what was ahead, the blue and pink figures' stares changed from the massacre to the running Orthus when they were coming close to them. Their smile shuttered and they pointed at the wanted Devil Summoner. The feasting demons near each of those couples stopped their fights and participated in the hunt of Raidou. At what was probably near the end, there were twenty demons on their tails.

The door was in their reach, the roaring demons not too far away. Raidou jumped off of Orthus, called the demon back into his kenda and rushed to the door. He tried to push the door, but it wouldn't budge. Gouto said his name once, indirectly saying to him what little time they had before becoming demon food. He lunged at the door and it opened to the attack. As fast as lightning, Gouto and Raidou entered the building and the youngster closed the two wooden doors with a struggle.

They had finally got to the source of Kizami's world. It looked like an ordinary sauna, except with a thousand floors. After he closed the doors, the youngster turned to be greeted by two faceless women wearing white kimonos, that were standing in the middle of a luxurious looking-hall, still as statues.

In perfect synchronization, the two women bowed before Raidou and Gouto. They remained in the bowing position, and pointed in an almost dancing manner to the door to their right that wasn't there just a second ago.

''Madame Kizami is waiting for you, Master Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th.'' They said in a calm manner.

The Devil Summoner and the cat walked to the pointed-at door. When he slid open the door, they were welcomed by the sight of a beautiful, nude woman.

It was Kizami. Her long black hair was covering most of her upper body and breasts, only exposing the lower part of her body. She had a gentle smile on her face with glimmering green eyes, which she never had when they met back in the Real World. Behind her was a pool of steaming water, and near the pool was a set of two towels on the rocky ground.

''Raidou Kuzunoha... we meet again.'' Her words were harsh to resist the lustful urge she provoked with every word she pronounced. Any poor bastard could have fallen under the curse she was victimized with, but not him. ''I was waiting for you. The sauna was kind enough to forget about this ridiculous rule of only girls or boys in the bath. Do you want to join me, Raidou Kuzunoha?''

She kneeled at the pool and passed her fingers over the hot water. She turned her head from the youngster who had his sword in hand and ready to cut down the former human. Nimbly, she jumped into the hot water, avoiding completely the katana's strike. She emerged half of her head out of the pool and stared at her attacker.

''Raidou, Raidou... you are a very bad boy, you know that?''

The youngster almost growled in frustration at the woman's teasing and tricks. His tolerance to this world was beginning to run out and the last thing he needed was to fall into the enemies' trap.

''And you want to know what very bad boys receive for punishment?''

The water of the pool changed. The steam coming out stopped and instead the color turned into a dark crimson color with bubbles surfacing from the boiling blood. Behind them, the duo of faceless women closed the doors and left the Devil Summoner against the Mother Harlot.

The walls circling them shook before flying in the air in gusts made by the roars of something within the pool. It was quickly replaced by the same skin walls and the red kanji forming a dome over the guests and the Whore of Babylon. Although, by any sense it should have darkened, it was still bright as if the sun was passing through the solid skin. The kanji were, however, thought provoking and simply put, insulting: **'LIAR AND PERVERT'**, **'FOOL OF GOD'**,** 'JUST ANOTHER ONE'**,** 'I HATE YOU'**. The list just went on, but Raidou had to ignore the written taunts and it was harder than he would have believed.

While the walls were raising, the vessel of the Mother Harlot was lifted up onto the back of a giant red beast with seven, crowned heads resurfacing from the boiling pool. Their eyes showed nothing but naivety and anger. The once known Kizami was resting on the back of the dragon-like animal. She wore a purple and red dress with a oval hat of the same color, a pair of gloves and red high heels. What could have terrified a normal human only disgusted the duo- Kizami had lost part of her flesh and skin at the bottom part of her face. Lips, cheeks and throat melted into the boiling blood leaving only her skeleton and the rest of her untouched face.

She looked almost like the picture he saw in the compendium.

''She summoned the seven-headed dragon?!'' exclaimed Gouto in shock.

''And control it," she said with amused eyes, her hands stroking the vicious monster. ''The Beast always arrives when the Mother Harlot is alive and this is all thanks to you, Raidou Kuzunoha. All I need now is my golden chalice. Give it to me now and I shall spare you. Refuse and you will suffer like the Martyrs of this world!''

The youngster kept his stare on the demonic woman and raised his katana to the unholy woman. She closed her eyes and sighed at the young man's decision.

''So be it.'' She snapped open her eyes and they turned into two voids.

She gestured her hand and the seven-headed beast lunged at the youngster. He rolled out of the way with ease and evaded the demon by a hair. He reached towards two kendas and called upon two demons.

''Oumitsunu! Moh Shuvuu! I summon you!'' At his command, two demons appeared before Raidou. One was a giant, green statue and the second one was a little girl with wine-colored winter clothing. Her purple hair formed a pair of wings.

''Beast, show them your power.'' The Mother Harlot said as she caressed the violent animal.

The demon under the control of the Whore roared and charged at Oumitsunu,who stood in front of Raidou and Gouto acting like a shield. The giant stood still as he grabbed two of the seven heads with its massive hands. In the struggle, the riding Whore let a horrible screech towards the closed sky. The skin wall began to bend to the other side, and then erupted into a Fornor covered in the same ooze as before.

''Get my chalice!'' She shouted to the enraged goat demon as she pointed at the youngster.

Gouto jumped off the youngster's shoulder as they saw the Fornor ramming toward the duo and left the hideous demon to the Devil Summoner. Moh Shuuva flew away as well, when the demon was too close and Raidou left the powerful statue with the Beast and Mother Harlot.

''Fight however you want, Raidou Kuzunoha, but you will never defeat me and you know it!'' She laughed at the youngster who barely avoided a punch from the dangerous Fornor and retaliated with a sword slash to the goat's throat.

The Beast managed to push Oumitsunu and the statue's arm began to fissure at the beast's power. The Harlot laughed at the inevitable destruction of the Devil Summoner's guard and let out another horrible screech toward the statue. The arm shattered and the seven-headed dragon broke through, the demon's body falling like Lego pieces.

''See how weak you are, Raidou?!'' She laughed madly at the youngster. ''You are a fool! A fool, I say! A-''

One of the beast's heads exploded. The Harlot's black eyes widened and saw the shattered body of the youngster's demon forming hands and furiously attacking the beast. Alone against this many foes, the seven-headed dragon stood no chance, unless the Mother Harlot had her chalice to call upon the powers of the element. Which she didn't have.

''Moh Shuuvu, get Mother Harlot off the beast!'' As ordered by her master, she flew toward the baffled woman and blew her away with a powerful gust of wind.

She hit the fleshy floor fifteen feet away from the losing beast.

The weak beast began to lose its heads and crowns by the wrathful hands of the Oumitsunu. In the fatal fight, the beast tried to back away from the angry hands, unaware it was going to dive into the bloody pool standing in the middle of the dome.

It ultimately fell into the pool as more hands savagely ripped apart the hideous animal.

The Mother Harlot was defenseless, unable to do anything to save her only companion and Raidou could now kill her without the beast's intervention. She couldn't do anything anymore but to look at the seven-headed dragon being torn apart.

''Congratulations, Raidou Kuzunoha, I'm surprised you could have killed my beast with such a weak demon. Alas, I have been defeated by the great Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th... what a shame.'' Her void eyes changed into their original green color after turning toward the Devil Summoner and his cat.

''Tell us, demon. Who gave you the golden chalice?'' Gouto had to ask before her execution.

The only answer they got was a maniacal laugh from the seductress herself as the skin walls were dying and the world around them was reverting into the Dark Red Light District.

''But little pussy, isn't obvious? Only the compendium says where the chalice is hiding and only the present Raidou knows of its location. Who is the present Raidou Kuzunoha, can you tell me that, little pussy cat?''

She kept laughing at the duo. Raidou didn't feel anything for the possessed Kizami. At this point, there was no turning point. Of her human side, the only thing remaining was the body, not the soul. He called in his demons before finishing the job.

Raidou lifted his katana in the air with both hands, ready to strike down the seductress and end all of this insanity. It was then that the Whore of Babylon let out a horrifying scream. It was not frightening or malicious, but innocent and human. The Harlot reached towards her jaw and at the contact of the skeleton she screamed once more.

''Wh-What's going on?!'' The Harlot's voice changed. It wasn't painful to hear the voice anymore, it was normal. A normal human voice. She looked up at the youngster who was still in his position to strike. She let out another scream of terror, raised her arm to form a shield in front of her face and crawled away from the Devil Summoner and his cat. ''Raidou, what are... what's going on?! What happened to my face?! Where am I?!''

The questions continued and Raidou lowered his sword, but didn't have any inclination to let it go.

''The Harlot is using Kizami's side to confuse us. Raidou, kill her.'' The cat ordered the youngster.

Something was wrong. He felt the Harlot's presence in the conscious Kizami, but his guts were telling him she was a human, an innocent. He could still save her, if he could purify her, free her, but she was awake and the Harlot could take control at any moment.

He had to kill her.

Sword still in hand, he walked to the woman and evaded any eye contact with the cursed woman. Kizami understood her situation in a dreadful silence- she choked down a cry and looked at her killer as tears poured down from her human skin to the demonic skull, desperately crawling away, about to fall in the bloody, boiling pool where the beast rested after the stone hands finished with it.

''What... what did I do to deserve this?'' She cried out to the youngster. ''I hate my husband, you said you would fix everything! You said you would help me! BUT YOU DIDN'T! You're not a protector! You're not a savior! You're...''

Her words fell on deaf ears after a moment. The Devil Summoner couldn't go back and let Kizami live anymore. She was a danger to herself, to the Capital and to the Dark Realm. Even if she confessed to her sins, she had to be taken care of.

She kept calling Raidou by names and cursed him, backing up and oblivious to the fact that she was getting too close to the filled bloody pool. Suddenly, he took a quick step and the point of the katana stabbed through her chest.

The strike instantly killed her. She didn't even have the time to finish that last curse, and fell to the ground. Her heavy head almost touched the boiling blood, but the Harlot's hat didn't have a chance. The demon's hat fell into the blood and let loose the woman's hair floating on the red fluid.

He removed his sword from the woman's heart and removed the blood in a sweep after turning away from the corpse and seeing the world was nearly coming back to its initial form. Gouto didn't talk, he sat silently and let the Devil Summoner walk closer to him, indicating he was ready to go back home.

Tsukudo-cho, Narumi Detective's Agency

''Oh... Oh... Kizami...''

The sobs of Oto were the only continuous sound in the bureau. The grieving man was in a chair in front of Narumi and Raidou, who avoided any eye contact with the crying man.

They found Kizami's body near one of Harumi-cho's ports. The police believed she committed suicide after she found out that her husband cheated on her and stabbed herself. However, only Raidou, Gouto and Narumi knew what truly happened to the dead woman.

''If only I could... I could have done something for her.'' He cried his heart out. ''She would had figured out... about... Oh Kizami...''

''Mister Oto, Raidou and I sympathize with your loss, however we can't do anything more from this point on. Miss Kizami committed suicide and we can't interfere with police works.'' Narumi explained with a calm voice. ''We can't take the request.''

The man temporarily stopped in his crying, met Narumi's eyes and shook violently at the detective's words.

''Why?!'' He slammed his hands on the desk and stared at Narumi with red, wrathful eyes. ''Kizami was my wife, I loved her more than anything in the world!''

''Says the man who cheated on his wife.'' Narumi said frankly. ''You have no more business with us now, Mister Hokuto. Please leave now and have a good night.''

The sorrowful man sat in the visitor's chair for a moment, before leaving the agency with a heavy heart. There was nothing more the detectives could have done for the man. If they would have told the truth of Kizami's demise, he would have gone at Raidou's throat.

''Poor Kizami, I can't believe that you had to kill ...''

''What I killed today wasn't Kizami.'' Raidou said as he walked in front of Narumi's desk. ''Kizami was long dead when we first met. The demon took over her soul and mind the moment she touched the Harlot's chalice.''

There was an uneasy silence that settled in the bureau. The detective was accustomed to the Devil Summoner's business since the event with the red soldiers and the red capes. That case was the first where they met real danger and the consequences of demons wandering the Real World.

People unconsciously feeding on deformed god-like children, military forces corrupted to their higher ranks by a jealous deity and a soul who tried history by nearly killing an innocent in the process was something heavy to carry on one's consciousness. Although Raidou didn't say much about what or who he fought against at the end of the case, he felt ashamed for his act even if in the end it saved the Capital and the possessed girl Kagi.

Maybe unconsciously he felt he failed by killing the human Kizami and not only the demon within her, Narumi pondered before he felt the need to change the subject.

''Speaking of that chalice, where is it now?'' questioned the caretaker of the Devil Summoner.

''Somewhere, where nobody will find it.'' Those were the only words Raidou gave to Narumi before leaving the bureau.

* * *

**Special thanks to Bonnia for the beta-reading.**


End file.
